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Louisiana Eyes Total Broadband Penetration
by Chloe Albanesius
During the first meeting of Louisiana's newly created Broadband Advisory Council on Monday, Gov. Kathleen Blanco set forth an ambitious plan to ensure that 100 percent of her state has high-speed Internet access within five years.
"I want universal access to be a reality in about five years," the Democratic governor said. "I don't think that's an unrealistic expectation. I'd like to see it in our rural areas."
The council is the brainchild of several Louisiana lawmakers, two of whom represent rural areas and sit on the council: state Sen. Noble Ellington and state Rep. Francis Thompson, both Democrats. Thompson introduced the bill, H.B. 1265, that created the council. Blanco signed it into law in June.
"When you look at Louisiana, we are a rural state anyway you cut [it] up," Thompson said. "We have over 300 small communities and they get the Internet ... to the cities, but it doesn't go further than that. We don't want to have second-class citizens because we just did not take care of their needs."
Ellington added: "We can't have economic development today in rural areas if you don't have high-speed Internet access. It's just a plain, simple fact." He urged the 24-member council, which is comprised of government and private-sector technology experts, to determine how lawmakers can help expand broadband and to recommend whether additional legislation is necessary.
"I ask this council to come together to create a strategic plan that will carry Louisiana" to its goal of full broadband deployment, Blanco said. Ten years ago, the state held a technology conference to craft its first telecommunications strategic plan. "I'm convinced that effort paid huge dividends," and this council could do the same, she said.
The council agreed Monday to consider the creation of several subcommittees, including those that deal with broadband for the education future; current and future broadband infrastructure; the regulatory environment; the work of other states; local government action; the role of broadband in economic development; issues facing small and large broadband suppliers; and financing the rollout of broadband. The group will reconvene Dec. 9.
Machines Recount Washington Gubernatorial Votes
Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed on Wednesday ordered the state to start a machine recount of votes cast in the Nov. 2 election for governor.
The battle between Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire and Republican businessman Dino Rossi has been too close to call since Election Day. During her tenure as attorney general, Gregoire has been active in fighting to reduce unwanted commercial e-mail known as spam and in battling against "phishing," which involves sending phony but official-looking e-mails to trick recipients into revealing personal information.
"This race provides a clear example [of] why every person should vote because your ballot might make the difference," retiring Democratic Gov. Gary Locke said in a statement. "I am confident that through this state-mandated recount, we will be assured that every legitimate vote was counted."
Locke said his office had made transition information available to both campaigns. "Last week, in preparation for the eventual transition, my office made available to both campaigns current basic office organization and budget information," Locke said. "This is useful information for the candidates as they formulate their transition plans."
On Wednesday, Rossi was leading Gregoire by 261 votes, according to Reed's office. The recount is expected to last until Nov. 24.
Spending On Health IT Spending Called Burdensome
State healthcare spending has been on the rise for the past 10 years, and the increased pressure to spend money on information technology efforts has been burdensome for cost management, according to a report released Wednesday by the Virginia-based research firm INPUT.
The total healthcare IT market is expected to hit $6 billion in fiscal 2005 and jump to $9 billion by 2009, the report said. Healthcare systems have been focusing more on centralizing their operations, such as procurements efforts and databases.
A handful of states currently operate their own Medicaid management information systems (MMIS), but INPUT predicts that within three years they will join the growing number of states outsourcing their MMIS systems to IT vendors.
"The cost-versus-benefit decision definitely favors the transferal of systems and direct administration responsibilities permanently to private-sector partners under long-term" contracts, James Krouse, state and local market analysis manager for INPUT, said in a statement.
In other news, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, said on Friday that a new federal law will have a "significant impact" on assistive technology efforts for the disabled in his state. Some of Virginia's efforts include low-interest loans for the purchase of assistive technologies, a five-year grant that ensures education-based information technology access, and a Web site for all of Virginia's disability services agencies.
Nebraska License Data Linked To Donor Registry
Nebraska's Department of Motor Vehicles now will provide a new link to the state's organ-donor registry, GOP Gov. Mike Johanns announced Monday.
When residents agree on state driver's licenses or identification cards to donate their organs in the event of their death, that information will be transferred automatically to the Donor Registry of Nebraska. The switch is expected to increase the database of 3,800 names to more than 400,000.
"The ultimate goal is for more transplants to take place, leading to more lives being saved," Christina Durham, community liaison for the Nebraska Organ Recovery System, said in a statement. The state has about 450 people currently waiting for organ transplants.
Privacy Groups Call Attention To Credit Reports
As part of recently enacted federal legislation, residents in Western states will have the right to a free copy of their credit reports starting Dec. 1. In response, Consumers Union, the California Public Interest Research Group, the Identity Theft Resource Center and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse have posted on their Web sites information about how residents can get reports and what to do if they discover discrepancies, the organizations announced Wednesday.
States eligible for the service on Dec. 1 include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The program will be phased in next year in the rest of the country, AP reported.
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